Drying and mixing mechanism



Feb 11 1936. E. R. LOCKRIDGE Er AL y DRYING AND MIXING MECHANISM Filed Aug. A22, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 eb, H, 1936.. E, R. n ocKRnnGEI ET AL 2,630,645

DRYING AND MIXING MEGHANISM IN VEN TOR5 Feb- M, 1936. E. R. LOCKRIDGE ET AL. m3309645 DRYING AND MIXING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y if INVENToR.- fai/M Ea/@wu B Lodm'fye lOl/11.3

atentecvFeb. 1,31*, 1936 UNI-TED sfTAT'Es;

mi: ENT; crei-es DRYING AND MIXING MECHANISM Application-AugustfZZ, 1935, Serial No. 37,328

mixing mechanisms and structures; and its `ob- Ject 1s, generally, to provide sucha mechanism and structure improved in respectshereinafter` appearing; and more particularly, to provide such a structure comprising a hollow rotatable. cylindrical element having a port crports through its side for introduction of the material to be operatedon, and a closure member for such openings; and such a closure member comprising separably mounted sections; and to provider means for governing the supply of material to saidrotatable element controlled'by the rotation thereof; and to provide improved ports through the l5 side of said element for introduction of said material.

These and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing are attained by,.and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the illustrative structure and mechanism particularly described in the body of lthisspeciication and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lis aview in perspective of a structure.

andmechanism for drying or mixing materials; Figure-2 is an elevational side View thereof;

Figure 3 is atop view of the same, shown partially` in section takenon line 3-3 of Figure 4; Figure- 4 is a transverse sectional viewthereof taken on line 4`4-of-Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the same'taken on line 5--5'fof` Figures 2 `and 3;

,Figure 6 is alikeviewl;v but showing the cylindrical element turned to a different position; 35. Figure '7 is a like view,gbutshowing theA halves of theclosure member in separatedposition;

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of a thimble for. a-port through the side ofthe cylindrical element;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 6, but with parts vbroken away, illustrating a modied co-nstruction of the closure member.

The structure illustrated by thesefdrawingsincludes a long hollow cylindrical element' designated generally I approximately' horizontal but inclined vertically sufficiently for the passage therethroughof thematerial operated on. Said element I is mountedfor rotation as on the supportingrollers 2 pivoted onsupports 3 -on which rollers said elements track bands 4 travel, said element being slowly rotated as bythe pinion 5 ofi-the drive shaft 6 meshingwiththe large gear 'I.

i The cylindrical element` I isa'metallic shell 8, which forl some purposes desirably has a brick lining 9.. A-port or, .as illustratedaplura1ity of (Cll 214-18) angularly spaced ports III extend through the side of said element whereby the material is introduced into its interior. These ports are heldY closed to retain the material by a circular closure member designated generally II which comprises 5 two-separable sections, the halves I2, I3, detachably connected as by threaded bolts I 4 extending throughthe flanges I5 of said halves. In their connected position, this closure member extends axially of.y the cylindrical member I far enough' 10 between itsrannular shoulders I3, I'to retain the material frompassing out through said ports I0. This closure'member thus forms a bearingl in' which the cylindrica-l element I rotates.

To permit longitudinal expansion and contrac- 15 tion ofelement I, theclosure member II supporting-.the same is mounted as by posts I7 on platforms I8 having wheels I9" rolling on tracks 2Irparallel with member I; and, to vertically adjust4 the position of the closure member these 20 postse'extend through lugs 22, 23 of said halves andfhave threadedupper ends carrying nuts 24,

25 adaptedto be turned into engagement with the lugs 23.-

To gain access to that portion offcylindricaly 25 element I which is surrounded by the halves I2,

I 3, in'Y order to make repairs, remove material which may have obstructed or clogged the ports ID/ or for other purposes, said halves are detached and moved to the separated position shown in Figure '7. 'I'hese halves are suitably mounted to effect such separation as by providing `atfleastone of themas the half` I3(and, as shown, desirably both of saidhalves) with wheels'. 26 rolling on tracks 2l which extend 35 transversely of the cylindrical` element I, said wheelsbeing pivoted'on the carriages 28'which have the tracks 20i The-material to be operated on, introduced into-the cylindrical element I through its ports 40 I Il, passes downwardly from a suitable source of:- supply, asfthe hopper 29, through a chute 30.

chutev opens at 3l into the cylindrical elementA I` at one side of the axis thereof, as shown inthe views, so that the material is received 0n 45 the` upwardly moving side of its inner surface to be better-disintegrated and mixed by the rotation of saidelement. The ports IIJ extend in a direction approximately aligned with that of the chute as shown so that the material willpass intoelement I more directly and without obstruction. These'ports Illare lined with thimbles 32: having sides 33 contacting the sidesV of the ports, and these thimbles have outer anges 34 fastened as by rivets indicated at` 35to the 55,

shell t and flanges 3S engaging the inner side of the brick lining 9.

As the rotation of the cylindrical element I brings the ports Iii successivelyinto registration with the mouth 3| of the chute 30, as seen in Figure 5, the material falls into said element; but in other turned positions thereof in which the chute is closed by one o1" said elements portions 3l between said openings as seen in Figure 6, the material will rest on said portion. Desirably however and to more completely control the flow of material through the chute, this chute is provided with a valve, which in the shown construction is a gate 38 slidable in bearings 39 to closed position by a spring 4i) shown in Figure 3.

The cylindrical element has angularly spaced cams ll (one for each opening Il) on which cams rides the roller [i2 on the arm I3 of a rock shaft lli pivoted at t5 on the closures half I2 and having an arm it connected by a link lll with said gate valve to open the same by said cams atintervalsV corresponding with the registration of the corresponding ports Iii with the mouth 3I of the chute 30.

Any suitable and well known means, where necessary or desired, may be employed to heat theV cylindrical element I as a rotating kiln to dry the material therein; any suitable means or power may be applied to said element to rotate it ;V and any suitable means may be used for conveying the Vmaterial into the chute or throughthe ports l@ into said cylindrical element.

It will be seen that a mass of material for making cement orthe like may be dehydrated, or a mass of wet grain or the like may be dried, and that materials Yof different kinds may be thoroughly Inixed by passing ;the same through this' rotating cylindrical-element.

In the modied construction illustratedin Figure 9, the closures sections I2', I3', comprise Vthe metallic shell portions 50 and their inner brick linings 5I, such linings and the brickY lining Y 9 of the cylindrical member I being provided to shield the metallic shells from excessive heating Y when the structure is employed as a heating kiln.'

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limited to or by details of construction and arrangement of any particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings or hereinbefore described.

' We claim:

l. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: aY hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and having a port through its side; a closure comprising a pair of sections mountedior transaxial relative movement to a position embracing the sides of said element and closing the port and a 'reversemovement opening the port.

2. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and having a port through its side; a closure comprising a pair of sections Vmounted for transaxial relative movement to a position wherein the closure forms a rotary bearing for said element and closesV the port and a reverse movement opening the port.

V3. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted nfor rotation about its Vapproximately horizontal axis and having a port through its side; a closure comprising a pair of detachably connected sections embracing the sides of said element and closing the port and mounted for transaxial separating movement when detached to open the port.

4. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and having a port through its side; a

closure comprising detachably connected halves embracing the sides of said element and closing the port, at least one of said halves being mountmounted for movement parallellyV with thev axis of said element and at least one of said halvesV being mounted for transaxial separating movement from the other half when detached therefrom to open the port. A

6. A mechanical organization comprising, in

combination: a hollow cylindrical element mountl ed for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and having a port through its side; a closure comprising a pair of detachably connected halves embracing the sides of said element and closing the port, said halves being mounted for vertical adjustment and for movement parallelly with the axis of said element and at least one of said halves being mounted for transaxial separating movement-from the other half when 'detached therefrom to open the port.

, 7. A mechanical organization comprising, in

combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and having a port through its side; a track extending transversely of said element; carriages movable on said track and having tracks extending .parallelly with the axis of Ysaid element :platforms movable on the second-mentioned tracks respectively; threaded posts on the platforms respectively having nuts; a closure comprising detachably connected halves movable on the posts respectively to adjusted positions held by the nuts, the carriages being movable on the first-mentioned track to a position wherein the halves embrace said element and close the port and movable reversely when the halves are detached to open the port. Y

8. `A` mechanicalV organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mount- Ved Vfor rotation about its approximately Vhori- 55HVA ment through the port, said chute extending in Y a direction aside from the axis of said element.

9. A mechanical organization comprising,l in combination: a Vhollow cylindrical element mounted for rotationY about its approximately horizontal axis and having a port textending through its side in a direction aside from the axisrof said element; a closure comprising a pair of sections mounted for transaxial relative moveg ment to aposition embracing the sides of said element and closing the port and a reverse movement opening the port.

10. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and having a port extending through its side in a direction aside from the axis of said element; a closure comprising a pair of sections mounted for transaxial relative movement to a position embracing the sides of said element and closing the port and a reverse movement opening the port; a chute for material passing into said element through the port, said chute extending correspondingly with the port in a direction aside from the axis of said element.

11. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and having a plurality of angularly spaced ports through its side; a closure comprising a pair of sections mounted for transaxial relative movement'l to a position embracing the sides of said element and closing the ports and a reverse movement opening the same; a chute for material passing into said element through the respective ports; a normally closed valve in the chute; means for opening the valve operated by the rotation of said element to a position wherein the respective ports register With the outlet of the chute.

12. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and having a plurality of angularly spaced ports through its side; a closure comprising a pair of sections mounted for transaxial relative movement to a position embracing the sides of said element and closing the ports and a reverse movement opening the same; a chute for material passing into said element through the respective ports; a normally closed valve in the chute; means for opening the valve operated by the rotation of said element to a position wherein the respective ports register with the outlet of the chute, said means including angularly spaced cams on said element, and means operated thereby and connected with the valve.

13. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately horizontal axis and including an outer shell and an inner lining with a port extending through the shell and lining; a hollow thimble in the port, fastened tothe shell and having a flange engaging the lining; a closure comprising a pair of sections mounted for transaxial relative movement to a position embracing the sides of Said element and closing the port and a reverse movement opening the port.

14. A mechanical organization comprising, in combination: a hollow cylindrical element mounted for rotation about its approximately Vhorizontal axis and having a port through its side; a closure comprising a pair of sections mounted for transaxial relative movement to a position embracing the sides of said element and closing the port and a reverse movement opening the port, said element and said sections respectively comprising a metallic outer shell portion and a heat-insulating lining portion.

EVERETT R. LOCKRIDGE. LOUIS W. iMEYER. 

